Commercial, Industrial and Residential Electrical Construction

Bell Electric of Blacksburg

Tex planted wildflowers outside the office two years ago.  They come back every Spring!!

Treading lightly on the earth

We started by combining our values and needs with the expertise and vision of architects Sid Cohn, Hans Rott and Orrin Arvold.  Our intention was to reshape the natural topography as little as possible.  This resulted in a bridge for access to the upper floor.  The planks for the bridge are Southern Pine piers that had supported a wharf in the Savannah harbor since the 1600s and were remilled by Blue Ridge Timberwrights.  We tell visitors that things need not be thrown away just because they are old.

Green Building Features of 1711 North Main

Judy’s desk area has lots of natural light, and a glass airlock (left) to temper the outside air. The light fixtures have electronic ballasts with T8 lamps.

Bell Electric of Blacksburg, Inc.                                  1711 North Main Street, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060                                 540-552-5397
                                                                                                                       All Rights Reserved.

Our building is right across the street from a bus stop and a residential area, to lessen the need for a car.

Recycled elements: Warehouse shelving; bridge planks

On the double-sloped roof are 67 Siemens SP75 solar modules, installed by Bryan Walsh of Solar Connexion.  Each panel generates 75 peak watts.  The panels feed their power into an inverter.  Click here to learn about the inverter.

 

The greenhouse on the roof provides passive solar gain and a warm place to visit on a sunny winter’s day.  The greenhouse roof and walls are double-walled acrylic.

The building features  extensive use of Low E glass.  A north-facing clerestory window runs from east to west along the midline of the building.